Spaniard will leave Tottenham next summer causing £20m loss – opinion

Fernando Llorente has an uncertain future at Tottenham, with the Spanish international out of contract next summer and struggling for playing time. According to ABC Sevilla via Sport Witness, Real Betis have Llorente and West Ham forward Lucas Perez on their radar, although wage demands could reportedly be an issue.

Llorente has been on the periphery this season, making just six appearances in all competitions this season. The 33-year-old finds himself behind Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in the pecking order and hasn’t made a Premier League appearance since mid-October. He’s been an unused substitute on nine occasions and has only been given one start across the board in 2018/19.

Since joining Spurs from Swansea City in 2017, Llorente has made 37 appearances, scoring and creating eight goals. He was brought to White Hart Lane to provide an aerial threat and a ‘plan b’ option to Kane, but the Spaniard hasn’t succeeded in deputising for the Englishman. He’s instead become deadwood that Mauricio Pochettino is stuck with.

That being said, Tottenham may retain the striker until his contract ends at the end of the season if they don’t have any plans to sign a new centre-forward in January. They’ll take a hefty financial hit, paying around £13m just a year ago in addition to his £75k-per-week wages, but Pochettino isn’t blessed with much depth up front so it may be worth keeping Llorente.